One, two, three, four…
Hrmm!
One, two, (one, two, three, four!)

1966… The Beatles—most of my partners are way too young to remember the phenomenon they were, and the others were on to more serious things. For those of you of a certain age though, do you remember the song to which that count was the opening?

Let me tell you how it will be;
There’s one for you, nineteen for me.
‘Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.

Ahhhh, yes, “Taxman” by George Harrison… on the surface, it seems somewhat paradoxical that this celebrated humanitarian would be protesting taxation. Could it be that at the ripe age of twenty-three, George believed he could better direct his money than the government, as he subsequently demonstrated five years later with his Concert for Bangladesh? Imagine, a libertarian in hippie clothing… imagine, a spokesman for the Tea Party… imagine all the people (sorry, getting carried away—that’s John, he’s married per Ed Sullivan, though I still think Yoko broke up The Beatles).

Should five per cent appear too small,
Be thankful I don’t take it all.
‘Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.

I remember my astonishment at learning Uncle Sam took 90 cents of every $1.00 of one grandfather’s earned income. As reflected by his lyrics, George had even more to gripe about—95 cents!

(if you drive a car, car;) – I’ll tax the street;
(if you try to sit, sit;) – I’ll tax your seat;
(if you get too cold, cold;) – I’ll tax the heat;
(if you take a walk, walk;) – I’ll tax your feet.

A cautionary tale, to be sure—Britain, bankrupted from two World Wars over its past 40 years in 1966, was eighteen years into NHS (National Health Service).

Taxman!

Enough said…

‘Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.

Maybe not.

Don’t ask me what I want it for, (ah-ah, Mister Wilson)
If you don’t want to pay some more. (ah-ah, Mister Heath)
‘Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.

Another cautionary tale, in this case for Republicans who may be feeling smug about their upcoming November 2010 prospects—Messrs. Wilson and Heath were the respective leaders of their parties, the Laborites (= Democrats) and Tories (= Republicans). As to the recent “Pledge to America,” talk is cheap and in the words of some other 60’s icons, We Won’t Get Fooled Again…

Now my advice for those who die, (taxman)
Declare the pennies on your eyes. (taxman)
‘Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.

If George were writing for his American audience today, he might have substituted Postpone till 2010 please try.

And you’re working for no one but me.

The atmosphere became so oppressive that London School of Economics alum Mick Jagger and the rest of his Rolling Stones became tax exiles in the 70’s.

Taxman!

Everything old is new again.